History
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“A Better Originalism” – Arkes and Snedeker in The American Mind
A new statement of purpose published in The American Mind, written by Prof. Hadley Arkes, Garrett Snedeker, Joshua Hammer, and Matthew Peterson calls upon conservatives to adopt an originalism of moral substance. The authors write: “We are faced with a moment of political crisis. The Biden administration seeks to fundamentally transform the United States by […] -
Professor Gerard V. Bradley: “The Constitution’s ‘Value Judgements'” – James Wilson Symposium
JWI has launched a collaborative partnership for 2021 with the Liberty Fund’s online journal, Law & Liberty. Led by its Director, Richard Reinsch, Law & Liberty has become one of the premier journals on the right for writing on jurisprudence, politics, and culture. Prof. Hadley Arkes opened our first symposium in February 2021 with “Letter to a […] -
“On the Moral Alchemy of the Political Party”: Hadley Arkes in The Catholic Thing
In his column for The Catholic Thing, JWI Founder and Director Hadley Arkes reflects on the historical role of political parties in the U.S. and the state that they are in today. The parties of the present have lost their sense of morality and no longer know their place in our society, Arkes contends, noting […] -
“Toward a New Jurisprudential Consensus: Common Good Originalism” – Josh Hammer in Public Discourse
In an essay for Public Discourse, JWI Affiliated Scholar Josh Hammer implores conservatives to embrace a new approach to originalism that emphasizes the common good. He argues that originalism has become entirely unmoored from conservatism rightly understood, particularly in light of Justice Gorsuch’s decision in Bostock v. Clayton County. It must be replaced by a […] -
“Moral Constitutionalism”– Gerry Bradley in First Things
In an essay for the print edition of First Things, JWI Senior Scholar and Trustee Gerry Bradley argues that the dominant form of originalism has failed conservatives time and time again in matters of moral consequence, and a reassessment of it is in order. Originalism, he writes, does indeed remain the correct way of deciding […] -
“It Was The Supreme Court’s Liberals Who Established Protests Are Not ‘Sedition’” – Professor Hadley Arkes in The Federalist
In an essay for the Federalist, JWI founder and director Professor Hadley Arkes explores the Court’s approach to demonstrations under the First and Fourteenth Amendments. He examines how Supreme Court justices have regarded with concern the right of protestors to demonstrate in particular locations, such as outside the Supreme Court while trials are underway. Justices […] -
“Civic Virtue as Moral Facts: Recovering the Other Half of Our Founding” – Professor Daniel Mahoney in RealClearPublicAffairs
In an essay for Real Clear Public Affairs, Professor Daniel Mahoney of Assumption University argues that the American Founding presupposed a belief in moral facts and the immutability of human nature. The Founding Fathers, and the American people more broadly, understood that society required a strong moral foundation. They knew that self-government required a virtuous […] -
“President Joe Biden’s Blue America” – Professor Gerard V. Bradley in the National Catholic Register
In a piece for the National Catholic Register, Gerard V. Bradley, a professor of law at the University of Notre Dame and member of the James Wilson Institute Board of Scholars, presents a religious critique of the theme of unity emphasized by President Joe Biden in his inaugural address. Biden characterized America as an intensely […] -
PODCAST: Prof. Greg Collins on “Commerce and Manners in Edmund Burke’s Political Economy”
The James Wilson Podcast features Prof. Greg Collins of Yale University on his book on Edmund Burke’s economic thought. Author and Professor Greg Collins joined JWI Deputy Director Garrett Snedeker and intern Chance Cook to discuss his new book, “Commerce and Manner in Edmund Burke’s Political Economy”. Collins’ book explores the intersection of Edmund Burke’s […] -
The President’s Advisory 1776 Commission Releases “The 1776 Report”
The President’s Advisory 1776 Commission, established to support the teaching of patriotic education, has released “The 1776 Report.” According to a White House statement, the report seeks to present “a definitive chronicle of the American founding, a powerful description of the effect the principles of the Declaration of Independence have had on this Nation’s history, and […]